Religion Books

This journal is wonderful! It is not only filled with beautiful images, but it is filled with inspiring messages.
Each page has a starting sentence to act as a guide and posses questions one might not have thought to ask themselves. The questions really get you thinking and they cause you to be honest with yourself.
It has really helped me greatly. Getting my thoughts down on paper has really helped me go after goals that prior I was too scared to go after.

I really love this journal. It is very timely, and will save me hundreds of dollars in the long run, and hundreds of wasted minutes debating about my life. It is reflective, and deeply moving. Self discovery is the name of this game.

Beautiful book to work in. Thought-provoking topics, questions and messages keep you working in a positive manner.

I love this book! It has been very helpful in getting in touch with my feelings. I highly recommend it to anyone. It's set up nicely with nice pictures and helpful inspirational writing.

This was a gift for a friend who needed to pause and do some self-reflection. She loved it!

austin pryor packs this book full of great information and resources. check out his web site.

Managing your Money God's way is an incredibly concise and easy to follow guide to financial planning. Great book for beginners as well as advanced. There's something for everyone.

This is a clear, well-written, easy-to-understand book that is ideal for people wanting to know more about saving and investing. The book is written in layman's term with lots of graphics and illustrations that make it an easy read for investors of all levels. I strongly recommend this book, and have personally given away a half dozen copies to various friends and relatives over the past year.

Great Book. Some of the information is out of date, but the principles taught are very relevant. It expands greatly what is offered in their newsletters. Would be a great gift to give.

The principles in the book will not get you rich overnight (by design); however, they will put you on solid financial footing. Starting with getting out debt, creating a "rainy day" fund and finally investing through mutual funds. None of this is earth shattering but if you are justing starting off on your road to financial freedom or are ready to systematically invest your surplus, this book is for you. I also subscribe to the SMI newsletter to help me manage my 401k/IRA accounts.

Dr. Denny Nissley, Assemblies of God (AG) minister and Director of Christ in Action Ministries, stated: "Dr. Walston has thrown a 'big wrench' into my tongues-as-evidence doctrinal gears." Well, consider this review a wrench for Walston's Spirit-baptism-is-conversion doctrinal gears. I attend the same AG home church as Nissley, and recommend that not only he but all other AG ministers consider the following.

For many Christians, Walston has made a persuasive case that Christian conversion is synonymous with Spirit baptism and that speaking in other tongues is not the initial evidence of it. But here is the problem for both him AND classical Pentecostals (CPs): the assumption that Spirit baptism is a single event, either occurring at conversion (which Walston now believes) or some time after it. It is true that scripture uses the definite article "the" in reference to "the gift my Father promised" (Jesus in reference to the Spirit, Acts 1:4 [NIV]) and "the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). However, scripture NEVER speaks of "the baptism with [or in] the Holy Spirit," using the definite article. It only speaks of being "baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5) which is later called being "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4). Why is this significant? Because scripture equates the two phrases whereas Walston and CPs do not. True, they believe that Spirit baptism is a Spirit filling, but they do not believe that every Spirit filling is a Spirit baptism. Walston cannot accept the notion that a Christian may experience multiple "Spirit baptisms" because he equates the term "Spirit baptism" with conversion and he doesn't consider Spirit fillings after salvation as re-conversions. CPs cannot accept the notion that a Christian may experience multiple "Spirit baptisms" because they equate "Spirit baptism" with the first time one speaks in tongues which, they admit, does not occur for most Christians at conversion and for many Christians never occurs.

Walston agrees with Gordon Fee that "to be saved is to be filled with the Spirit". He accepts this position based not only on his interpretation of Acts 2:38 - 41 (in conjunction with Acts 2:4 which uses the phrase) but also the writings of Paul which assert that all Christians have the Spirit living in them (1 Cor. 3:16; Rom. 8:9). Personally, I have no problem with asserting that all Christians are "filled with the Spirit" if, by this term, we mean that all Christians are indwelt by the Spirit. However, Walston is seriously wrong when he asserts: "The New Testament never makes the distinction between (1) getting saved and (2) being filled with the Holy Spirit as though they are two entirely different experiences" (Ch. 7, pg. 139). Luke, the author of Acts, in his Gospel used the phrase "filled with the Holy Spirit" several times for certain faithful Jews: Luke 1:15 (John), 1:41 (Elizabeth), and 1:67 (Zacharias), the last two resulting in prophetic words (NOT other tongues). He also used it in reference to the 120 Christians who spoke in other tongues on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Regarding the last reference, it is interesting that Walston admits that the 120 disciples were already saved before they were filled with the Spirit, although he doesn't seem to realize that he contradicts himself. Here I must refer readers to a book that Walston quotes from but obviously misunderstands: The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke (1984) by Roger Stronstad. On page 53, Stronstad references the above scriptures in relation to the phrase "filled with the Holy Spirit" and makes these surprising statements: "...the gift of the Spirit to the disciples on the day of Pentecost is not an isolated and unique event. It is but one of several occasions, both prior to and following Pentecost, when people are filled with the Spirit. The experience is the same whether it is Zacharias or Peter who is filled with the Spirit." At the end of Chapter 14 of Walston's book, he admits that "on four occasions Luke says that people who were already saved were 'filled with the Spirit'" (pgs. 198 - 199) and then discusses them. First, he doesn't seem to realize that like the references discussed above, these too contradict his statement in Chapter 7 that the New Testament never makes the distinction between getting saved and being filled with the Spirit. Second, he fails to see that these Spirit fillings can also be called "Spirit baptisms" because he erroneously, and contradictorily, equates Spirit baptism (a.k.a. being "filled with the Spirit") with conversion. If Walston was merely arguing that speaking in other tongues is not the initial, physical evidence of Spirit baptism, he could have used some points I've made here and developed a better case. But, unfortunately, he argues that Spirit baptism is synonymous with conversion which seriously weakens his case, making it implode by contradiction.

Robert W. Graves, the current president of The Foundation for Pentecostal Scholarship (TFFPS), is a classical Pentecostal who wrote a "narrative-critical" response to Walston's book which was first published in the Pneuma Review back in the Fall of 2005 and the Winter of 2006 in two parts. This review (or a slightly modified version of it, if I'm to rely on Walston's quotes from it) is now available through the TFFPS website. Walston's response to this review is available through the website of the Columbia Evangelical Seminary where he currently resides as president. Those who recommend Walston's book should read both responses. I read them after posting my initial Amazon review of Walston's book in 2007 which is now replaced with this one (March 2008). Graves confirmed some of my own observations, and Walston's response to Graves did not challenge them.

Walston's response accuses Graves of numerous logical fallacies and misrepresentation of his book. What he does NOT do is meaningfully dialog with the most important part of Graves's review: the biblical passages in question, especially the interpretation of Acts 2:38 - 41 which Walston considers the paradigmatic passage of Acts when it comes to interpreting Spirit baptism as conversion. Instead, he dismisses the need to do so by appealing to an illustration of "two people with two different colored glasses" and asserting: "The crux of the way that Graves and I see the passages in Acts is based upon the premise from which we both proceed. He as a tongues-as-evidence proponent, and I as a tongues-as-evidence opponent. It is not that I am herein unwilling or unable to address the various passages in question; however, to address the passages tit for tat would be simply an exercise in showing how we differ in our conclusions based upon our guiding principle of interpretation." What are we to make of this evasive response? The implication is that there is no way to challenge the premise or guiding principle from which someone proceeds (the glasses one wears), so why try? He fails to see how this reasoning undermines the authority of his own position. He treats the core of Graves's review as he does the biblical analysis of other scholars, including Stronstad mentioned earlier, who have challenged his position: by failing to meaningfully interact with it.

Without defending Graves's review against all of Walston's accusations, I must affirm that Graves had a valid point when he stated that Walston fails to interact with key authors (both Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal) who have addressed the subject years before Walston's book was published. Walston's accusation that this commits the fallacy of Argument from Authority (a.k.a. Celebrity Endorsement) is ridiculous. Yes, truth is not determined by who one quotes, but one expects an author of a book on a "controversy" and/or "debate" (terms Walston uses in his book's title and subtitle) to meaningfully dialog with some of the earlier publications of key influential authors, especially those who have given arguments against his position and biblical interpretations. The failure to do so shows that one has NOT significantly and meaningfully contributed to the debate, even at the "popular" level. Writing at the "popular" level does not excuse one from such interaction. When I read Walston's book, I kept thinking of other classical Pentecostal scholars such as Robert Menzies (see, for example, his book Spirit and Power [2000], co-authored with his father) who years ago already addressed many of Walston's key points by addressing the critiques of other authors who reflect them (including Gordon Fee, Walston's primary supporting reference).

I bought "The Speaking in Tongues Controversy" because so many of my colleagues (Classical Pentecostals, Assemblies of God) were discussing it. Some said that the book made a lot of sense while others disagreed. Personally, I found Walston's arguments to be theologically astute, logically argued, persuasive, and, finally, utterly convincing. I must admit, I came into this study with my mind already made up the other way, and I was amazed at the fact of my transformation. I think Dr. Denny Nissley (on the back cover of the book) said it very well for me (and some of my colleagues): "Dr. Walston has thrown a 'big wrench' into my tongues-as-evidence doctrinal gears. I am now working through what I thought was a foundational doctrine that I also thought was settled long ago." Kudos to Walston for taking this biblical stand in spite of the flap (and grief) that he has gotten from his Pentecostal brethren.

I received Dr. Walston's Book about Tongues Controversy. I have read it once and am going through it again. He did an excellent job explaining inductive
versus deductive reasoning, narrative/historical accounts versus didactic
passages. The fact that he shows 26 accounts of conversions opposed to 3 out of 5 is superb! Every Pentecostal should read this book especially those who are so dogmatic about "tongues being the necessary credential" for being
Spirit-baptized/Filled. Thanks for sharing your knowledge/revelation on this matter. Be blessed.

Dr. Rick Walston writes his book THE SPEAKING IN TONGUES CONTROVERSY not as one on the outside looking in (Unger, MacArthur) but as one who comes from a Pentecostal background having pastored in Pentecostal churches for many years. His new position is best described as "open but cautious" concerning speaking in tongues and other charismatic gifts. His heart is simply to be biblical.

I found his book to be enlightening. Having been raised as a Pentecostal myself, became a disciple of Jesus while attending a Pentecostal church, and then having served in Pentecostal churches first as a youth pastor and then as a senior pastor, I know the arguments for "the initial, physical evidence" of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. For Pentecostals, Acts 2:4 is one the first verses you memorize. I also know that there is a wave of new Pentecostal pastors and teachers who want to move away from the initial, physical evidence and become more mainline in their views on the baptism in the Spirit.

In Dr. Walston's book, he first builds a Pentecostal case for the baptism in the Spirit with the initial, physical evidence of speaking in tongues. He takes the reader through the biblical defense of the teaching. I greatly enjoyed how Dr. Walston seeks to show the reader that Pentecostals often are first attacked as being experience based theology but most Pentecostals I know (and knew including myself from the past) were seeking to be biblical. As Walston points out, most Pentecostals and Pentecostal churches would cringe at someone attacking the Bible or saying that they don't love the Scriptures. While I do dissagree with much of the Pentecostal movement today, I know that they do desire to be biblical.

The book quickly moves to Walston's heart and that is to show the reader that the Pentecostal teaching is wrong. He does this by showing that Luke in Acts is not trying to present a theology of the Holy Spirit but an application of the gospel (Acts 1:8). Luke is building a case for salvation and not for the work of the Spirit in the believers life. When put this way you will see that the initial, physical evidence is lacking support from Acts. Acts is not a book for building charismatic experiences but salvation (Acts 2:38).

Overall I greatly enjoyed this book. Walston certainly will bring debate to Pentecostal churches and Bible colleges over the issue. One Pentecostal pastor told me personally that the single greatest threat to the Pentecostal movement is the challenge to the initial, physical evidence. Destroy that doctrine and the Pentecostal movement loses its core doctrine that separates it from other movements. I also appreciated Dr. Walston's kindness toward Pentecostals. He does not bash them but simply takes their teachings to the Word of God (1 John 4:1-2). May we be like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) and test everything (1 Thess. 5:19).

This book was fast-paced, informative, and enjoyable. Which ever stand you take on tongues this book is a great reed.

Gabe at www.eastharbor.org

I use Stages of Faith in a human development class I teach at a small private Christian university. I use the book for two reasons. First, it still has the most foundational understanding and process for conceptualizing and defining faith development. It is old now; however, it is the central piece for dialog in faith development. Second, I appreciate the thoroughness of Fowler's stages and his interaction with other developmental theories. As a professor, I also appreciate Fowler's challenge for Christians. My students are quick to assume that Fowler is writing about Christian faith development, but he is not. I like the challenge Fowler lays out for Christians and others to appropriate his "generic" model of faith development for specific religious traditions.

If you are doubting your faith, if you are unbelieving, if you've been condemned as a "back-slider" or an "infidel," if you never had a belief in the Divine but want to understand the dynamics of faith, this book may be yours to read!

I was first given this book about 18 years ago when I found myself at odds with the faith in which I was reared. I had doubts in high school as I could no longer tolerate the literalism and simplicity of the churches I attended. I lived with the dissonance for several years. Eventually, the dissonance was so unbearable, I sought the help of a counselor.

The counselor heard my doubts and lent me this book. I read that there are different stages of faith. I realized that my doubts stemmed from growth. I realized the conflicts were the conflicts of maturity not of "back-sliding."

Now, as I see young people struggling with their spiritual growth, I talk with them and, if I feel it appropriate, I give them a copy of this book.

Although this study of James Fowler is 30 years old already, I don't know a more recent book, which describes the possible development of a believing christian so clear. In this sense, it is of more current interest than ever.

This book is a necessary book for anyone who is involved in faith/spirituality work, particularly with young people. It connects with all the major developmental theories, particularly Piaget and Kohlberg. A vital resource for graduate students involved in faith ministry and development.

This book presents a skillful conceptualization of the relationship between human development and spiritual maturity.

Cathy does an outstanding job of seeing God working in the everyday. Whether it is family, friends, or fun, God can be found at work. Cathy is like a skilled examiner who puts the day-to-day under a microscope to help us see what may not be visible to the untrained eye. Buy a copy, get some coffee, and enjoy.

After reading The Stained Glass Pickup myself, I gave several copies for Christmas gifts. Each recipient shared with me what I already knew--that this book touches the heart and inspires Christ-followers to seek Him. My hands-down favorite devotional was "A Whole Bunch of Nothing," which reminded me to return to the simplicity of my relationship with Christ and to slow down an overly hectic life. As a busy mother of three teens, I need that reminder constantly!

When a book grabs your attention and touches your heart, it makes a lasting impression on your life.

This is exactly what Cathy Messecar's book, The Stained Glass Pickup_ does. The author has an incredible talent of showing how God touches everyday people in the most remarkable ways.

In one of my personal favorites, titled, "Ya'll Come," this short devotional recounts a day when the author's best-laid plans went slightly awry. The author had invited a group of women and their children to come to her farm and pick blueberries and then to enjoy a nice homemade lunch afterward. However, one by one, each of the families called and cancelled. But when her daughter called to see how the preparations were coming along, the author recounted her predicament: too much food and no one to enjoy it. Her daughter immediately suggested that the secretaries in her office come over for lunch. Open to the idea, the author soon found her home filled with her daughter's office staff. Everyone enjoyed the delicious impromptu luncheon as well as the new friendships being formed.

What originally looked like a wasted effort turned out to be a true blessing. In fact, she recounts, "One woman eventually began a Bible study with us and later became a Christian." Wow! What an opportunity God had given her to show hospitality and His love. Sure the first group cancelled but because the author was willing to host others whom she did not know, the blessings expounded.

With every devotional I read, The Stained Glass Pickup reminded me that God isn't found only in Sunday school or in a church social, God is everywhere, waiting to pour His love out into my life and yours, in the most unsuspecting moments.

Armchair Interviews says: Nice message in this special book.

Cathy Messecar catches a stained glass view of every day life in God's creations. Her insight is shown in short, two-page stories, which enlighten us to look at the world with
awe and wonderment. I had planned to read this 127-page book in one evening yet the stories capture your heart, soul, and mind. They make you think using parts of your brain never tapped until now. You must take time to ponder about the cowboy in his stained glass pickup and his prayer for his daughter, or the grandpa's worn and frayed work coat, or the trust of a four year old and her parents. Cathy Messecar ties these every day happenings, which most of us take for granted, with the passages of the Bible with such ease. Each story ends with a prayer to remind us He is our provider, our strength, and our creator. Thanks Cathy for writing a book that inspires us to be His in every way every day a blessing in His Name.

Newspaper columnist Cathy Messecar shares a collection of stories that will deepen the faith of every woman. The title comes from the first devotional in the book, about a rancher who prays aloud for his high school age daughter while he drives her to school in his truck. I can certainly relate to praying in extremely humble places.

The book contains an eclectic mix of uncommon wisdom gleaned from the Bible and the author's daily life as a grandmother in Texas. Each devotional begins with a short scripture and concludes with a heart-felt prayer.

This would make a wonderful gift to help someone start the new year with an inspiring mentor to lead the way.

-- Christian Women Online Book Buzz

Desipte the title, this book does NOT teach you how to stand like mountain or to flow like water.

It is not a practical book on how to cope with stress.

However, if you want an academic account of human spiritualaity, it is not a bad book, but this is not I am looking for so just 2 stars.

After the September 11th tragedy, I found myself rereading from the wisdom of Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water to try to find some meaning in all the sadness. His synthesis of the "Ageless wisdom" was very comforting in this time of spiritual hunger. I also found many passages which took on a greater meaning than when I first read it many years ago. I have given the book as a gift to many friends. I HIGHY recommend this book to anyone looking for meaning in their lives at this time. This book is a classic!

Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water, by Brian Luke Seaward, is a delightful tool for spiritual awakening.

Our souls often walk bare feet in the bogs of spiritual limbo while we physically wear expensive socks and shoes, and tread fancy floors. We ought to consciously unite with our true nature, the knowledge of which reveals our true calling, as human creations of the creative power behind the universal order. And once our consciousness has penetrated the depth of our reality, we discover that this power manifests itself divinely as love, as a force for good.

Admittedly, the good of one may be the bad of another, as in the case of a predator and its prey in the natural world. Within civilization, however, humans are meant to rise above this dog-eat-dog way through solidarity: love your neighbor as yourself, as Christ dictates. Nothing could be truer to our life mission than aligning our actions with this love in the most elevated, civilized manner. We are then the inspired servants of the creative power, within the compass of our humanity; and peace of mind spontaneously follows. This peace is a refined form of happiness, unlike the crude pleasure of the senses that is but a side dish and cannot satisfy our spiritual appetite. As Brian Luke Seaward himself says: "Trying to fill the spiritual void with material means is like cramming a square peg into a round hole."

This author's hypothesis that stress is best handled when we are spiritually charged - mindful of our true nature and all its precious lessons on the meaning of our lives - is one that commands respect. Furthermore, I contend that his book Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water - which richly expands on this hypothesis and contains a host of excellent insights, advices, and references - should be read by any truth seeker, even a non-Christian, provided he or she keeps an open mind.

He writes: "Our mission is to build bridges, not walls; to offer a hand in guidance, rather than turn our backs with indifference." Without a doubt, Mr. Seaward is a builder of bridges, and that with the knowledge and skill of a civil engineer of the soul.

Laurent Grenier
Author of the book A REASON FOR LIVING
- The way to fulfillment against great odds -
(...)

For someone who is spiritual, but not religious in the sense that there is ONLY one way, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is going through one (or many,as the case may be) life crises. This book is written in a simple manner on a very profound topic that meets you where you are and brings you up a few levels. Balance is the key to life, and I now have the key!

Psychophysiologist Brian Luke Seaward advocates finding balance in life as a way of overcoming stress. The title of his book, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water: Reflections on Stress and Human Spirituality, is based on a t'ai chi saying. Seaward says "to stand like a mountain suggests a sense of stability, resistant to the winds of change. To move like water implies the ability to go with the flow, rather than trying to change things we have no control over."
He says that balance can be learned, but doing so requires becoming aware of, and using, our inner resources. Inner resources include humor, creativity, courage, intuition, and faith, among others. Inner resources "can and should be employed every day," not just during times of crisis.
Study after study has documented the harmful effects of stress on the human body. Seward says many people feel stress because they have betrayed their spiritual nature by not living the lives they know they should be living. He compares life to climbing up a mountain, with each of us picking out the one path that is best for us. He says "not only are there numerous paths, but we each move at a pace conducive to our soul's growth process." He adds that "it is impossible to get lost on the spiritual path. We can only be immobilized by our own fears." Confronting stressors overcomes those fears and brings balance to our lives.
Seward drew from many disciplines, including psychology, theology, quantum physics, philosophy, sociology, and mythology, as well as from his experience as a therapist, to write Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water. He says that "it is my sole wish that the collective wisdom found among these pages serve as a reminder of what we already know, because the guidance we seek is really within us."

As an author, teacher, and concerned world citizen, I am awed by the depth and compassion woven into this highly-readable anecdotal book. Don't let the stories fool you, though. This book will enhance your interactions with others. If we practiced Storycatching, Christina-style, there would be so much more joy and justice in our world.

I've always believed that each life has a very important story, even those that at first glance don't seem glamorous or adventurous. In fact, my favorite memoirs, biographies, and oral histories tend to be more about real people who never consciously realized the importance of their lives.

Perhaps that is why I have always kept a journal. I am ever writing and editing the story that is my life. Trying to figure out how my experiences have made me the way I am. Looking to create the story that I want to be told to my grandchildren.

For those who haven't yet found the power of personal story, Storycatcher is the answer. In each chapter the author shares accounts of individual and family experiences. Then, at the end of these sections, she includes a number of questions to get the reader started on his or her story.

"We are the story-making creatures," says Christina Baldwin, and she goes on to inspire readers to locate, articulate, and celebrate their story-making process. Storycatcher is deeply informed by her rich experience as a writer and a teacher of writing. She weaves personal story into collective story seamlessly and beautifully--pointing the way for writers of all stripes. Whether your interest is essay, memoir, novel, genealogy, short story or poetry, there are prompts a plenty. Above all, this book is a companion--the best kind--wise, kind, honest and fun. What a gift to all readers and writers!

I learned of this book through a professor's suggestion and thought that I would put it on a reading list for a later time. Having always been drawn to the power of story, I found myself ordering it and opening the pages earlier than planned. Baldwin's genuine storytelling ability left me smiling throughout the day and hopeful about the benefits story can create in connecting strangers, friends, and enemies alike.

If you've ever sat down at a kitchen table in awe of the stories that are told around it- this book is for you. You will see that storycatching is more than just a pleasurable experience, it has potential to change hearts and minds.

In one section, Baldwin talks about her experience with posing a question about an individual's first memory of coffee while standing in a long line at a coffee shop. The discussion this created was wonderful- so next time you are standing in a long line trying to pass the time, I would encourage you to take her suggestion. Pose a question and you will be amazed at the results.

This is one of the best reads of the year- prepare to be inspired.

"Every person is born into life as a blank page - and every person leaves life as a full book" (p. xi). This sentiment from the preface of Christina Baldwin's new book sums up the overall theme of this wonderful look at the power, creativity, and uses of story.

Broken into ten chapters, this book is chock-full of amazing insights. Nearly every page contains at least one nugget of wisdom. Baldwin focuses on how story connects us, the art of storycatching, why we make stories, creating a story of the self, and finding our place in the order of things. Along the way, she addresses healing, the spiritual, power in organizations, personal growth and power, and ever so much more.

This book speaks to the heart and soul of what makes us human: the ability to tell stories, both orally and in writing, and to share wisdom, make sense of our lives, and move through our time on earth with meaning. "Story is a search for community that allows us to share, build, and learn from each other... We choose whether we want to live in hopefulness or despair. Storycatchers choose hopefulness, knowing that story has the power to change our lives" (p. 236).

The writing here is lyrical and sure, her prose evocative. She's annotated it and included a reading group guide. Baldwin writes with a deep knowledge and wisdom most of us can only dream of being able to describe, and she does it with the grace of an angel. This is a book that should become a classic. Highly recommended to readers, writers, thinkers, and dreamers everywhere. ~Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review

One of my favorite quotes came from this book:

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963
US black civil rights leader & clergyman (1929 - 1968)

Our hero Dr. Martin Luther King, PhD was a pastor, scholar and a master of the English language first, and this core excellence helped empower him to be one of the greatest change agents of the 20th century. In this book we see his heart and mind more than in any other writing; through this book the reader can sit in the pew and benefit from the deep, Godly wisdom of "Pastor King." In terms of precious spiritual insight, Strength to Love is in the top ten books of all time. - Paul de Vries, PhD, NY Divinity School

Martin Luther King Jr. uses very apt exegesis in his Sermon about the Good Samaritan. The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, with your Soul and with all your mind. The second is like unto it to love your neighbor as yourself. Sum of the Law and prophets hang on these two commandments. This truth taught by Christ was demonstrated through the telling of the story about the Good Samaritan. Martin Luther King JR's sermon on this story is an excellent analysis what it takes to be a loving neighbor. Dr. King tells how the Samaritan overcame prejudice, fear of physical danger, expenditure of money, along with inconvenience; time and effort.

In the sermon titled: Death of Evil on the Seashore, Dr. King acknowledges the existence of evil in all men's heart. The theme of this sermon is how a Christian should overcome evil acting upon oneself and respond with love. One should overcome evil with good. In this sermon, Dr. King states Jesus never made a theological statement about the origin of evil. He does state man's evil does not come forth out of mistake or misguidance. Man should be held culpable to his evil. Love is truly made manifest when in response to which one knows wishes harm or ill towards. This type of love does not come naturally to any man.

Martin Luther King Jr. was taught in his youth to hold the truths taught in the Bible are inerrant. In the final chapter, Dr. King says he entered seminary as a fundamentalist. In his senior year he introduced himself to various theological theories and critical thought when he read various books. Dr. King says at one time he became enamored and held liberal theological uncritically including the belief that man is generally good. Objective appraisal and critical analysis are terms Dr. King acquaints with liberalism. Dr. King says liberalism taught him to have an open and critical mind. In reading the `works of Richard Niebuhr made me aware of the complexity of human motives and the reality of sin on every level of man's existence.' Pg. 136 I would think Martin Luther King Jr. would have been taught about Total Depravity in his years going to church. Dr. King rejects the concept of God being Holy other: hidden and unknown. Dr. King states the influence Walter Rauschenbusch's book: Christianity and the Social Gospel had on him. Then student King searched other philosophers who were not theologians about how to bring social change. Student King was in despaired until he discovered and learned about how Mahatma Gandhi brought social justice to India through nonviolence and the term Satyagraha. Satya means truth which equals love. Graha means force.

Paul's letter to American Christians is a sermon by Dr. King in which he attempts to use the voice Paul's letter to instruct the Christian Church in the United States about disunity in the Body of Christ and unchristian thinking among its members. Cultural, political, and the state of Christendom are the focus of the sermon. I think Martin Luther King Jr. tries to invoke the sentiment of Ephesians 4:1-3:

As a prisoner of the Lord, I urge you to live the life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. In this letter Dr. King criticizes the multiplication of denomination of churches in the United States. He praises the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. He argues for unity with the Roman Catholic Church with no note that there are some things Christians cannot compromise about. Racism and disunity is the only sin taken to task. I do believe racism is an unfruitful of darkness and Paul did address this in his letters-it is not the only unfruitful works of Darkness:

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but reprove them.
. Ephesians 5:11

A quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.:
Pg. 3 "The historic- philological criticism of the Bible is considered by the soft minded as blasphemous and reason is often looked upon as the exercise of a corrupt faculty. Soft minded persons have revised the Beatitudes to read, blessed are the pure in ignorance: for they shall see God."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quotes from Matthew 10:16 - Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as Doves.

Later Dr. King equates science as reality and religion as values. He sees the tough minded as those who incorporate their faith to fit science. Dr. King does not believe the Bible is to be taken at face value but be interpreted trough the lens of science and other philosophical thought. Theological thought is used and the Bible is quoted to make the argument, but only when facts are determined elsewhere. Values are not defined through God's written word but to collaborate outside sources. Values are determined and thought processes are discovered with the Bible as the secondary source.

Let's not just sit in silence on *Martin Luther King Day* - - We must ask ourselves how WE can carry forward Dr. King's message & become agents for change. Reading his words in "STRENGTH TO LOVE" makes an excellent beginning.

Remember those words from the Bible that challenged us "to love justice"? King's sermons (collected mostly from the time of the bus boycott) prod us today to carry forth "the Power of One" and make this particular holiday a statement of our own acts of Love. To love takes courage as well as strength.

Since the Gulf state hurricanes, we have witnessed injustice toward blacks as blatant as any experienced in the 40's. To summon up the hope and optimism that kept Martin Luther King's message alive is an absolute necessity today. To exercise King's principles, to work for justice, to not allow ourselves to sit in silence - - that's where our beliefs must take us. " . . . the day we become silent about things that matter" IS THE DAY "OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END."

Love is where non-violent action begins. In his sermons King expanded on how the tactics of Gandhi can & do work a mighty force for change. For "Strength to Love" the cover art, a wood cut by Stephen Alcorn, makes another strong statement. Dr. King's words most forceful to me are about *love* and *redemption* - - (the latter is an under-used word these days) - - and the last chapter in which he shared his amazing *PILGRIMAGE* through philosophy and experience. Reviewer mcHAIKU echoes the hope of many: that we act responsibly, energetically and courageously to speak truth to Power. "I ain't gonna study war not more." (Martin Luther King Day, 1-16-06)

Timeless. As relevant now as what it was when it was written. Addresses the issues of hate and indifference and argues that the solution is love. Love does sound all too simplistic but it is one of the hardest things to face but its rewards are beyond words.

No matter where you are on your own spiritual quest, you'll find something valuable in this book. Shah has collected tales that address nearly every aspect of Sufi spirituality, some of which are accessible to any curious person, and some of which are intensely profound and intended for the advanced dervish. Even so, all the stories are fascinating and poetic.

These short Dervish stories, tales, fables have many layers of wisdom, which are understood based on the reader's evolution and journey on a spiritual path to divine unity. They subliminally touch the core of one's soul and resonate with pure truth.

I used one of these stories called the Magic Horse in an inner city summer camp in July 2007 in the hopes that the various situations and imagery of a short, fairly simple story would inspire kids to write impressions and reflections in their daily journals about similar situations they might have experienced in their own lives. The level of interest was exciting. For example, many of the kids showed an instinctive and clear understanding of the difference between a "marvelous fish" which makes people ooh and ah and which brings instant fame to its inventor vs the "magic horse" which is somewhat plain visually, unable to automatically draw kudos, etc. but which has the capability to take its owner to his "heart's desire", magically, sensing its owner's inner wishes. The range of reflections on how there might be a "magic horse" and a "wondrous fish" in the lives of these youngsters was tremendously varied, and the story seems to have gotten under their skin in a nice positive way. They'll have many years to plumb its depths and that of other similar stories in this amazing collection. I was tempted to "tart up" the story when I first presented it, to make sure it made a good impression, but happily figured out I didn't have to. The story spoke perfectly well for itself.

When I have kids, and when they are old enough to like stories, I'm going to read them these stories. Of course, these stories are far grander and deeper than children's stories, but the surface is where one starts.

My favorite stories in this wonderful anthology are: "The Dervish and the Grammarian" and "Three Pieces of Advise." In the former a dervish is trying to help a grammarian who is stuck. The grammarian gets hung up on correcting the dervish's grammar. Finally, the dervish gives up. The latter I came across previously in Ellen Frankel's Jewish folktales. The dervish version is a bit more explicit, or pedantic: A bird offers to give a man three pieces of valuable advice in exchange for its freedom: "Do not regret the loss of anything no matter how valuable it was" and "Never believe anything contrary to common sense without proof." The bird then informs the man that it contains a large jewel that the man will not be getting. The bird then tells the man that he has already wasted the wisdom by believing that such a small bird could contain a huge jewel and by lammenting its loss.

Stephen Mitchell's translation is a great intro to the Tao. Simple, a little convoluted at times and yet somehow straight to the point. I bought this illustrated hardcopy as a gift and keep a text version as my guide.

I have come to have a fondness and deep appreciation for Mitchell's work and choices of subjects. I bought this translation because of high praise for it hidden in one of Jim Harrison's poems. This version is, perhaps, the most readable of all I have encountered. Many people find it inspiring and that must be why it is such an acclaimed translation. Having dealt with a dozen or so translations and the texts behind them, I do note that Mitchell takes some liberties. His is a very idiomatic translation, which often reads better than word-for-word literalness, the latter often proving too wooden to be enjoyable or clear. And Mitchell might even omit a few phrases or add one here or there. But the spirit is all Lao Tzu. Also, the volume is full of the most exquisite ancient Chinese illustrations, making it the most beautiful of any of my Tao Te Chings.

Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching (The Book of the Way) has long been referenced by those who seek to understand the Eastern philosophy of the harmony of the universe. In simple, eloquent verse this collection of poems (though there are those who would object to the 'poem' label) the secrets to shedding the self with its attendant judgment, desire, and critique provide the guide for finding oneness with the cosmos.

Steven Mitchell is the translator of these ancient texts and his sensitivity to the poetic flow of the concepts and instructions enhance this version of the TAO TE CHING. And as if that weren't sufficient reason to make this your access to these ageless meditations, this book is an 'illustrated version', tastefully combined with old Chinese drawings and paintings that allow the eye to roam while digesting the moments of beauty of the words.

This book becomes a constant companion for those who look to make sense of the world and its chaos. If ever there were the perfect gift for the friends in your life, this elegant little book is surely one of the best. Grady Harp, March 05.

In this version, Peg Streep edits James Legge's 19th century translation. The editing is a major bonus, as it adds something
to the overall flow of the work. Here is an example of the poetry of the words: "Abstinence from speech marks him who obeys the spontaneity of his nature." Whereas countless other translations are well worth the read, the text in this edition offers something every bit as beautiful as the artwork that accompanies it.

If every philosophy or religion had a book like this, it would be much easier to appreciate and perhaps even enjoy the diversity of belief among humankind. Mitchell captures the simplicity and straightforwardness of the text, and what we get is a incredibly beautiful book of verse. Some scriptures and cornerstone philosophy texts try to argue their way into your head; the Tao, especially as translated by Mitchell and coupled with stunning artwork, effortlessly works to seduce its way into the core of your being.

When you put the book down, you may disagree with many components of the Tao's underlying philosphy. But during the short time you live between the book's covers, it is a joy to enter the rhythmic flow of the Tao and put skepticism on hold.